Monday, February 9, 2009

Despite the current global recession, outsourcing presents a "time of opportunity" for the country, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said at the opening of the eServices conference in Pasay city.

"BPO (business process outsourcing) continues to boom as global outsourcing is now aimed towards more cost-cutting," "In 2001, we recorded 4,000 workers (in BPO). Now we have exceeded 400,000," she said.

Her speech focused on her administration's gains in growing the outsourcing industry into a billion-dollar industry.

In fostering growth, she said the country must focus on these areas: encouraging the building of telecom infrastructure to lower cost of connectivity, creating a legal environment in the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) and harnessing human capital to address the sector's requirements.

She also stressed the need to expand of the "Cyber corridor" project and the creation of more "next wave cities" that target outsourcing investments.

"BPO is key economic driver and continues to create jobs and drive investments for the country," she said.

Early this year, the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP), the biggest organization of outsourcing providers in the Philippines, indicated that it was expecting a "cautious" growth of 35 percent for 2009. By 2010, the organization said the outsourcing industry will earn about $12 billion to $13 billion.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button tells the story of a man who ages in reverse and serves as a reflection of life, death and all the things people experience—and perhaps take for granted—in between.

Awards: Art Director Visual effect Makeup

Frost/Nixon

Based on the play by Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon tells the story of the 1977 interviews between British TV journalist David Frost and former President Richard Nixon. During these interviews, which took place not long after Nixon resigned, the former president admitted for the first time that he let down the American people

Milk

Milk takes a closer look at the life of late politician Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist and the first self-identified gay man to be elected to public office in California. A member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Harvey and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by a former colleague in 1977.

Staring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes, The Reader tells the story of law student Michael Berg, who in his teenage years has an illicit affair with an older woman. Years later during a war crimes trial, the woman is revealed to have been a Nazi prison guard who harbors a secret only Michael knows.

Filmed in India, Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of a young man who grew up in the slums of Mumbai and makes his way to a successful turn on a televised game show. Questioned by authorities for his extensive knowledge in spite of growing up in poverty, the young man is forced to explain his past. The movie took home the Golden Globe® this year for Best Dramatic Picture.

* Warn your children about potentially dangerous people who may try to befriend them online. * Keep the computer in a public space in your house, not your child's bedroom. * Don't allow children to use a screen name profile or to give out personal information online. * Use parental controls provided by your service provider or blocking software. * Monitor all chat room usage. * Insist children never agree to meet someone they've met online without your permission.

Types of Children Sexual Predators Target and Prey Upon

* Children with lower self-esteem * Children who divulge too much personal information online * Children who frequent chat rooms * Children willing to engage in online conversations about sex

Signs Your Child Might Be at Risk Online

* Your child spends large amounts of time online, especially at night. * You find pornography on your child's computer. * Your child receives phone calls from people you don't know or is making calls to numbers you don't recognize. * Your child turns the computer off or quickly changes the screen on the monitor when you come into the room. * Your child becomes withdrawn from the family. Offenders try to drive wedges between a child and their family, trying to accentuate any minor problems at home a child may have. * Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else. Sex offenders will sometimes provide potential victims with a computer account for communications with them.

If Your Child Is Approached by an Online PredatorWrite down as much information as possible—including the screen name or e-mail address of the person who contacted the child, the URL of the chat room and the date and time of contact. Report the incident to the local police department or FBI.In addition, you can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's cyber tipline at 800-THE-LOST. This tipline collects leads from individuals reporting the sexual exploitation of children.

Singing sensation Charice Pempengco performs "I Will Always Love You" live on UK TV show "The Paul O'Grady Show", aired 8th April 2008, Duet with Celine Dion and more...She even sing and perform live @ Ellen Degenereses and The Oprah Winfrey show."Oprah says there's nothing more fun than helping to make someone's dreams come true…especially when that someone is a gifted young person who really wants it and really deserves it."

She was 4 yrs old then when her mom discovered her talent for the first time. A few years later, Charice entered a singing contest "she signed up for more than 80 contests and won $50, she was, like, 'okay, we're going to have some food for one month, and very happy" , Some people were saying that I'm not good enough and I' m not pretty," she says. "I just wanted to prove that they're wrong."

Charice Pempengco's dream of becoming a singer began halfway around the world in the Philippines. She found a following on the Internet after a stranger posted her jaw-dropping performances on YouTube. Millions of viewers were moved by Charice's powerful voice—including Gayle King. "That evening Gayle called me," Oprah says. "She said she fell off her treadmill when she heard that girl." Oprah says the performance blew her Manolos off!

Charice's voice wasn't the only thing that impressed Oprah. "One of the things I love most about Charice is that no matter what obstacles she's faced in her life, she's never given up on her dream of something better," Oprah says.

Charice Can now say her dreams are beginning to come true, starting with an introduction to one of the most famous names of music business. Instead of flying back to the Philippines after her appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Producers pulled Charice off the plane and brought her back to Harpo studios. Then Oprah called legendary producer David Foster to see what the starmaker could do for Charice.

UNDERGOING training and being assisted to find new job placements is not as easy as National Government declarations make it sound, with re-employment reaching a low of 15 percent.

This was the data showed by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Southern Mindanao. The Dole report said at least three companies in the region have already laid off workers, hired another one, or have entered into a flexible work arrangement.

I read from sun star davao magazine today More than 200 workers in the region were retrenched while 40 or more Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW's) have lost their jobs abroad.

The firm Apex Mining, operating in Compostela Valley, SinoPhil, also a mining firm which operates in Mati, Davao Oriental,On the business process outsourcing (BPO) front, Sutherland, which operates in Davao City has reportedly retrenched workers and some laid off , has while the food product company, UFC Philippines, has engaged 41 of its workers in a compressed workweek scheme.

The labor department has also provided interventions for the displaced workers.

In the case of Apex Mining, the laid off workers were facilitated to be employed in Semirara Mining. Of the 19 people who applied for jobs, only five people were hired by the mining firm based in Antique province.

On the other hand, Sutherland rehired two of its displaced employees, while 34 others were retrained for non-voice positions in same company.

Dole assured it will provide trainings and self-employment seminars for the displaced workers.